After seeing Walker-Hackensack-Akeley rally for a 3-2 win on Oct. 9, the Menahga volleyball team rebounded to rally for a 3-2 win over Pillager on Oct. 11 and a 3-1 win over Staples-Motley Monday night (Oct. 15). The Braves followed with a 3-0 loss to Wadena-Deer Creek Tuesday night (Oct. 16) in the final regular-season match.
In the loss to W-H-A, the Braves won the first two sets before the host Wolves rallied for a 16-25, 15-25, 25-17, 25-22, 15-11 victory. Menahga put 97 of 101 serves in play with eight aces while compiling 45 kills with 20 hitting errors. Madi Marjamaa, Olivia Yliniemi and Tara Hendrickson served two aces each while Janie Tormanen (14), Hendrickson (9), Yliniemi (9) and Cierra Ahlf (8) combined for 40 kills. Marjamaa set up 39 of those kills.
The Braves had 90 digs with Jessica Pietila (18), Ahlf (17), Maryn Pinoniemi (14) and Lela Peterson (10) leading the way. W-H-A improved to 14-5 on the season.
Hendrickson's 13 kills, Ahlf's 11 kills and four ace serves, Tormanen's 11 kills, and Marjamaa's four ace serves and 37 set assists sparked the Braves to a 25-12, 16-25, 24-26, 25-20, 15-6 Park Region Conference win at Pillager.
Pietila and Yliniemi served three aces each as Menahga went 102 for 105 in serves with 16 aces while tallying 48 kills with 13 hitting errors. The Braves had 77 digs with Pinoniemi (21), Ahlf (13), Tormanen (12) and Marjamaa (11) hitting double figures.
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Julia Johnson's 14 kills and Jordan VanVickle's 11 kills led the Huskies, who fell to 0-6 in conference matches and 8-17 overall.
Tormanen's nine kills and five ace serves led the Braves past Staples-Motley at Menahga.
Ahlf had nine kills, Hendrickson served five aces and Marjamaa had 22 set assists in the 29-31, 25-17, 25-17, 25-16 victory. Marjamaa (23), Maryn Pinoniemi (17), Ahlf (15) and Lela Peterson (12) had double digits in digs.
Alix Peterson had 12 kills and 33 digs while Heidi Lombard and Tabatha Allen had 10 kills apiece for the Cardinals, who fell to 9-15 on the season.
Ashley Adams' 13 kills and Kennedy Gravelle's 12 kills sparked W-DC's 25-15, 25-22, 25-16 win at Menahga.
Yliniemi's seven kills, Ahlf's five kills, Hendrickson's five kills and three solo blocks, Marjamaa's 18 set assists and nine digs, and Pietila's eight digs led the Braves, who put 52 of 55 serves in play with four aces and had 21 kills with 14 hitting errors. The loss dropped Menahga to 3-4 in the conference and 10-13 overall while the Wolverines improved to 5-2 in conference matches and 11-8 overall.
New York Mills (7-0) maintained first place in the conference standings with Henning and Verndale sharing second place with W-DC, which improved to 4-3 against Section 6A North foes. Bertha-Hewitt (2-5), Sebeka (1-6) and Pillager (0-7) trail the Braves, who fell to 4-5 against section opponents.
Menahga statistics vs. W-H-A
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Ace serves: Marjamaa 2, Yliniemi 2, Hendrickson 2, Tormanen 1, Pietila 1.
Kills: Tormanen 14, Hendrickson 9, Yliniemi 9, Ahlf 8, Marjamaa 2, Erno 1, Pietila 1, M. Pinoniemi 1.
Set assists: Marjamaa 39, Tormanen 2, Erno 1, Pietila 1, M. Pinoniemi 1, Ahlf 1.
Solo blocks: Hendrickson 1.
Digs: Pietila 18, Ahlf 17, M. Pinoniemi 14, L. Peterson 10, Marjamaa 8, Tormanen 7, Hendrickson 5, Erno 4.
Menahga statistics vs. Pillager
Ace serves: Ahlf 4, Marjamaa 4, Pietila 3, Yliniemi 3, Tormanen 2.
Kills: Hendrickson 13, Tormanen 11, Ahlf 11, Marjamaa 6, Yliniemi 3, Erno 3, Pietila 1.
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Set assists: Marjamaa 37, Pietila 2, Ahlf 2, Erno 2, M. Pinoniemi 1, Yliniemi 1, L. Peterson 1.
Blocks (solo-assists): Ahlf 1-1, Tormanen 1-0, Hendrickson 1-0, Yliniemi 0-2, Marjamaa 0-1.
Digs: M. Pinoniemi 21, Ahlf 13, Tormanen 12, Marjamaa 11, L. Peterson 5, Hendrickson 5, Pietila 4, Yliniemi 3, Erno 3.
Menahga statistics vs. Staples-Motley
Ace serves: Tormanen 5, Hendrickson 5, Marjamaa 2, Pietila 2, Ahlf 1.
Kills: Tormanen 9, Ahlf 9, Marjamaa 6, Yliniemi 6, Hendrickson 6, Erno 2, Pietila 1.
Set assists: Marjamaa 22, Erno 6, Ahlf 3, Tormanen 2, M. Pinoniemi 2, Yliniemi 1.
Blocks (solo-assists): Hendrickson 3-1, Tormanen 0-1, Yliniemi 0-1, Ahlf 0-1.
Digs: Marjamaa 23, M. Pinoniemi 17, Ahlf 15, L. Peterson 21, Pietila 8, Tormanen 7, Yliniemi 7, Hendrickson 4, Erno 3.
Menahga statistics vs. Wadena-Deer Creek
Ace serves: Pietila 1, Yliniemi 1, Ahlf 1, Hendrickson 1.
Kills: Yliniemi 7, Ahlf 5, Hendrickson 5, Tormanen 3, Marjamaa 1.
Set assists: Marjamaa 18, Pietila 3.
Blocks (solo-assists): Hendrickson 3-2, Pietila 0-2, Yliniemi 0-2, Marjamaa 0-1, Tormanen 0-1.
Digs: Marjamaa 9, Pietila 8, M. Pinoniemi 5, Tormanen 4, Yliniemi 4, Ahlf 4, L. Peterson 3, Pfeifer 1.
